08 September 2013

Grape Hyacinth Revisited

I've been keeping artist journals since 2001. They use to be full of colors, collage, mandalas and images from my inner world.
I wanted to draw the outer world too, so around
three years ago I started teaching myself how to sketch and draw.

The image bellow is an ink and watercolor sketch I made two years ago.

Yesterday I revisited the beautiful Grape Hyacinth (Muscari).

In a more detailed and precise botanical style I drew it again in colored pencils: measuring, paying attention to form, lights, shadows, etc...

You can see some stages and the final drawing below.

First Grape Hyacinth (ink and watercolor) done probably in 20 min, second one (colored pencils) done in around 10 hours.

Drawing is a skill, believe it or not you can learn how to do it, you don't have to be "talented", the more you practice the better you get, I promise you. I've done it!!!

I know some of you are thinking the first one is a good sketch and you couldn't do it.

Check for yourself two of my first drawings on my unpublished journal and compare them with a more recent version:

12 comments:

Wow these are amazing, I myself have just started drawing , I'm in the process of learning to become a botanical artist at the moment struggling with measuring just cant get my head around it , was wondering if you have a video on you tube on how to measure plants and flowers.

Thank you for your words! I'm very new to measuring and still struggling too, first I was using a transparent ruler and now I'm using proportional dividers which I find easier and more precise to use. I pretend there is a transparent wall in front of my subject and I measure over the imaginary wall rather than the subject. I'm not sure if this is helpful...

Hi. I am from artist's journal workshop group. thanks for sharing with us. I've always loved to draw but never really gave it a thought until recently. Your drawings are amazing. I would love to, someday, be as good as you.

Wow! What a journey you've had! Incredible! You've grown so much! I used to do colored pencil paintings, but gave them up a few years ago due to the time it took! I even belonged to CPSA! But now I need my time to be better managed for things I really want. I still throw in colored pencils 'cuz there's nothing like them for certain things. I just love everything you do! Now I need to sign up to get your updates! Whoot!

Oh, no! Another lesson in patience! I know I'm 'sposed to learn it in this life. Sometimes I think that's why I became ill...so I could slow down & pay attention...make room for what's important. Does that make sense? Of course, I'd rather be well, but it's the lesson I'm learning now. AND, synchonistically, I was just watching youtubes on rangoli, kolam, etc. when your email notice came in! Tried to follow just a simple kolam and got all confused! ;) But I will continue. One thing I've learned is that I see things backward! I don't know what it is, but I even learn things backward! Like knotless netting...I'd spiral the opposite way of everyone else. Just this year I realized it's 'cuz I see the visual instructions backward. Does that make sense? So this slowing down has really made me aware of how to see how things are done! Look what you did??? Now I have another 2 women on another site doing a bunch of mandalas! I sent one to your youtube site! You have a following of your own creation! We are drops in the ocean! Thank you so much for all your help. You are an earth angel! ♥

hahaha, The universe keeps reminding us our lessons! It's great that you figured out the way you learn a lot of people struggle.Mandalas in all cultures are great, simple and complex. I just looooove them! Thanks for the adds for my site ;)